Tube maker registration control

ABSTRACT

A drive drum and a knife are rotated by a main drive shaft for advancing and cutting a cigarette tube at specified intervals. The cigarette tube has bands of simulated cork twice as wide as a cigarette filter printed thereon and spaced at intervals twice the length of a cigarette. A first sensing means senses when the knife is cutting the tube and provides a cut signal corresponding thereto. While a second sensing means senses when the center of the printed band is adjacent the rotating knife and provides a position signal corresponding thereto. A logic circuit is connected to the first and second sensing means and is responsive to the cut and position signals for providing a high speed output signal when the cut signal occurs prior to the position signal and a base speed output signal when the signal occurs after the position signal. A motor controller is connected to the logic circuit and is responsive to the output signals therefrom for providing a motor excitation voltage. A motor is connected to the motor controller and is responsive to the excitation voltage for accelerating or decelerating to a speed corresponding to the excitation voltage. A differential is interposed between the main drive shaft and the rotating knife and is connected to the motor for varying the knife rotation rate so that the knife cuts are maintained in registration with the center of the printed bands.

United States Patent Harris, Jr. 1 Sept. 5, 1972 [54] TUBE MAKERREGISTRATION [57] ABSTRACT CONTROL A drive drum and a knife are rotatedby a main drive [72] Inventor: Richard C. Harris, Jr., Middletown, shaftfor advancing and cutting a cigarette tube at Ky. specified intervals.The cigarette tube has bands of simulated cork twice as wide as acigarette filter [73] Ass'gnee' L mi Tobacco printed thereon and spacedat intervals twice the pom ulsvl length of a cigarette..A first sensingmeans senses [22] Filed: Sept. 23, 1970 when the knife is cutting thetube and provides a cut signal corres ndin thereto. While a secondsensin [211 App! 74679 means sensefivhen the center of the printed bandi:

adjacent the rotating knife and provides a position 52] US. Cl. ..83/74,83/371 signal corresponding therete- A logic eireuit is [51] Int. Cl...B26d 5/34 nected to the first and second sensing means and is [58]Field of Search ..83/74, 75, 76, 371 responsive to the cut and Positionsignals for Providing a high speed output signal when the cut signaloccurs [56] R f n Cited 8 prior to the position signal and a base speedoutput signal when the signal occurs after the position signal.

UNITED STATES PATENTS A motor controller is connected to the logiccircuit and is responsive to the output signals therefrom for $2535 2providing a motor excitation voltage. A motor is con- 3159066 12/1964McDaniel; "83/76 nected to the motor controller and IS responsive to the3244863 4/1966 Paterson /76 X excitation voltagefor accelerating ordecelerating to a 3355973 12/1967 83/76 speed correspondmg to theexcitation voltage. A dlf- 3581613 7/1969 Deems "83/76 ferential ISinterposed between the main drive shaft 3604300 9/1971 Allison and therotating knife and is connected to the motor Primary Examiner-Frank T.Yost AttorneyKane, Dalsimer, Kane, Sullivan & Kurucz for varying theknife rotation rate so that the knife cuts are maintained inregistration with the center of the printed bands.

16 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures TUBE MAKER REGISTRATION CONTROL BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to aregistration control for a cigarette spill manufacturing machine, andmore particularly, to a control for registering a cut off knife of sucha machine with preprinted registration marks on the cigarette paper.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the art of manufacturing spills foruse in making filter-tipped cigarettes by manual techniques as disclosedin US. Pat. No. 3,491,768, a machine as described in US. Pat.Application Ser. No. 59,052, filed July 29, 1970, was used. The machinewas designed to make and bundle spills for filter-tipped cigarettes froma preprinted web of cigarette paper. A spill is merely an empty papertube cut to a predetermined length and it may have simulated corkprinting at a filter tip end of the cigarette or may have a mark such asa trade name or a band printed around the spill. It was essential thatthe spill be cut at a specified position relative to the printing,especially when the spill had cork printing so that the proper length ofprinting was provided on each spill.

During and after printing the web of cigarette paper was subjected tovarying tensions that stretched the paper resulting in variations in theintervals between the cork printing. Temperature, humidity, and papermoisture content also affected the tension within a roll of cigarettepaper resulting in further changes in the intervals between the corkprinting. A slight change in the interval only produced a small error inthe position of the cut; however, the error was cumulative with eachspill and after a short period the cut would be off center or even offof the band of cork printing. Thus, a registration control was requiredto maintain registration between the cut and printed band.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention contemplates a tube makerregistration control for controlling the speed of a cutting knife tomaintain the cut in register with the center of the cork printing ormarking on the printed cigarette paper. The printed tubing is movedthrough the spill making machine at a constant speed by a paper drivedrum and a first phototransistor senses when the center of the band ofprinting is adjacent the cutting knife. A second phototransistor senseswhen the cutting knife is cutting the tube. A logic circuit determineswhether the knife cut is leading or lagging behind the cork printing andprovides an output to a D.C. motor controller which varies the speed ofa D.C. motor in response to the output. The D. C. motor is drivablyconnected to the knife through a differential to adjust the knife speedand attain registration between the knife blade and the center of thecork printing.

The cutting knife is driven at the maximum required speed by a maindrive through the differential and the D.C. motor is connected to thedifferential so that the D.C. motor speed is subtracted from that of themain drive to slow the speed of the knife to that required forregistration. Thus, the logic circuit automatically varies the speed ofthe D.C. motor to speed up or slow down the cutting knife depending uponthe relationship of the knife to the center of the cork printing.

Since the main drive runs the cutting knife as its maximum requiredspeed the D.C. motor need only run in one direction to subtract from thespeed of the knife, as driven by the main drive, thus simplifying therequired circuity. The D.C. motor is operated at either a high speed ora base speed depending upon the output of the logic circuit. In normaloperation the logic circuit oscillates between high speed and base speedcausing the D.C. motor to seek a constant speed at which the knife bladeis properly registered with the center of the cork printing.

One object of the present invention is to provide registration betweenthe knife blade of a cigarette spill making machine and a preprintedmark provided on the cigarette paper.

Another object of the present invention is to provide continuous andautomatic registration between the knife blade of a cigarettespillmaking machine and a preprinted mark on cigarette paper.

Another object of the present invention is to assure that a knife bladeof a cigarette spill making machine, making spills having cork printingfor filter-tipped cigarettes, cuts the preprinted cigarette tube papermidway the cork printing.

Another object of the present invention is to assure that a knife bladeof a cigarette spill making machine cuts the cigarette tube midway thecork printing even when the interval between the cork printing variesthroughout the length of the cigarette tube.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention willappear more fully hereinafter for the consideration of the detaileddescription which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawingswherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way ofexample.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings in which correspondingnumerals indicate corresponding parts in the respective figures:

FIG. 1 shows a segment of preprinted cigarette tub- FIG. 2 shows a knifecutting portion of a cigarette spill making machine. Y

FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematic of the logic and control section ofthe present invention.

FIG. 4 shows the relationship between various signals provided by thecircuit shown in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention will be described inconjunction with a machine for making cigarette spills; however it willbecome obvious to one reading the description that the invention may beeasily adapted for use with any device that cuts individual printeditems from a continuous preprinted supply of material where the cut mustbe in registration with a printed pattern or mark.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a preprinted segment of cigarettepaper tube 1 having a band of cork printing 3 of length X and unprintedportions 5 of length Y. The tube is to be cut at positions marked byarrows 7 to form cigarette spills having a length Z including corkprinting, to cover a filter portion, having a length X/2. A knife cut issensed by a phototransistor 9 which normally receives light from asource 11, said source being cut off during the period of time when theknife is cutting the tube. The tube travels in a direction as indicatedby arrow 13. A phototransistor is positioned at a distance equal to aneven multiple of cigarette spill lengths Z minus X/2 from the knifeposition in a direction toward the approaching tube. Anotherphototransistor 17 is spaced at a distance X/2 from phototransistor 15in a direction towards the approaching tube. Light sources 19 and 21provide illumination for phototransistors 15 and 17 respectively and arepositioned so that the light shines through the tube; however, saidillumination is cut off when the cork printing on the tube passesbetween a light source and the associated phototransistor.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a portion of the cigarette tubemaking machine disclosed in US. Pat. Application Ser. No. 59,052 and itsinterface with the present invention. Printed cigarette tubing 1 isshown being driven in a direction as indicated by-arrow13 by apaperdrive drum 25 drivably connected to a main drive shaft 23. I

A rotatable cut off knife 27 is driven by the main drive shaft 23through a phase shifting differential 29 and a pair of belt drives 31and 33. Belt drives 31 and 33 are designed to drive knife 27 at a speedfaster than is required to cut tube 1 when the minimum expected intervalexists between the bands of cork printing 3. Phase shifting differential29 has one input connected to belt drive 31 and an output connected tobelt drive 33 for driving knife 27 at a constant speed relative to themain drive shaft. The phase shifting differential has a second inputconnected to a D.C. motor in such manner that the motor rotation issubtracted from the input rotation from belt 31 to reduce the knifespeed and vary the position of knife 27 relative to paper drive drum 25.

Since belt drives 31 and 33 are designed to drive knife 27 at themaximum required speed the D.C. motor need only rotate in one directionso as to slow down knife 27. Thus, an increase in D.C. motor speeddecreases knife speed and decreased motor speed increased knife speed.To prevent over heating of D.C. motor 35, belt drives 31 and 33 aredesigned so that the motor is always operating at speeds between 300 and2,000 rpm. For spills having a nominal length of 84 millimeters andbeing produced at a rate of 1,250 per minute belt drives 31 and 33 aredesigned so that the knife cuts off lengths of 83.8 millimeters when theD.C.

motor speed is 300 rpm and lengths of 84.4 millimeters when the D.C.motor speed is 2,000 rpm. These tolerances include the worst caseconditions contemplated.

The invention may also be practiced by designing belt drives 31 and 33to drive the knife at the slowest speed required for the maximuminterval between the cork printing and by connecting motor 35 todifferential 29 so as to add motor rotation to the input rotation frombelt drive 31. The knife speed could also be maintained constant whilevarying the paper drive drum speed in a manner similar to the way inwhich the knife speed is varied in the described embodiment.

A disk 37 is driven directly by knife 27 to rotate at the same speed asthe knife. Disk 37 has a portion 39 extending therefrom and subtendingan are equal to X/2 or one half the width of the cork printing. Theextended portion is positioned to intercept the light provided by source11 during the period when the knife blade is cutting the tube so thatphototransistor 9 senses when the knife is cutting. Phototransistors 15and 17 and light sources 19 and 21 are mounted on a slidable bracket 41that may be moved in lateral directions as indicated by arrows 42 toadjust the position of phototransistor 15 relative to knife 27 so thatthe distance therebetween is equal to an even multiple of cigarettespill lengths minus X/2. Phototransistor 17 is mounted at a distance ofX/2 from phototransistor 15.

Phototransistors 15 and 17 each'provide an output signal indicating whenthe cork printing on tube 1 is passing between the phototransistor andthe associated light source.

A control device 43 receives the signals from the phototransistors andprovides an output for controlling D.C. motor 35. Control device 43 hascontained therein a logicand control circuit shown in FIG. 3, whichdetermines whether the knife cut occurs before or after the center ofthe cork printing passes the knife and switches the D.C. motor to eithera base speed or a high speed to compensate for discrepancies between theknife cut and the center of the cork printing. Control device 43 has a'knob 45 for selecting a base speed and a knob 47 for selecting a highspeed. Indicating lights 49 and 51 are provided for indicating whetherthe D.C. motor is operating at base speed or high speed, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a block diagram of the logic andcontrol circuit contained within control device 43. The circuit will bedescribed with reference to the signals shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, timeinstants are shown across the top of the figure and are indicated bylettered lines. The time instants are shown superimposed on a strip ofprinted cigarette tube 1 having a band of cork printing 3 spaced atintervals thereon. Lines B, D, F, and H are assumed knife cuts. Cut Boccurs before the center C of the cork printing 3 while out F occursafter the center E of the next band. The circuit description willinclude the operation of the circuit when the knife blade is travelingat an excessive speed as indicated by line B where the knife cut occursbefore the center of the band and the circuit operation will also bedescribed whenthe knife is running too slow and the cut occurs after thecenter of the band as illustrated by line F.

Phototransistor 9 normally received light from light source 11, however,during the period when the knife blade is cutting the tube the extendedportion 39 of disc 37 interrupts the light impinging on phototransistor9. When phototransistor 9 receives light it conducts and supplies a zerolevel out signal at an output 53; however, when the light is blockedphototransistor 9 turns off causing the cut signal to rise to a onelevel as indicated in FIG. 4. Thus, at time instants B, D, F, and H theoutput of phototransistor 9 switches to a one level and remains therefor a period equal to the time required for tube 1 to travel a distanceX/2 during which period knife 27 cuts the tube. Output 53 of thephototransistor 9 is connected to a driver 59 which is used to expandthe drive capability of the phototransistor to a level sufficient todrive other components of the logic circuit. Driver 59 has an output 61providing a signal as shown in FIG. 4 which is identical to the cutsignal supplied by phototransistor 9. Output 61 of driver 59 isconnected to an inverter 63 for inverting the signal from output 61 andproviding an output 65 as shown in FIG. 4 which is identical to output61 except inverted.

Phototransistors and 17 receive light passed through the unprintedportion of tube 1 from light sources 19 and 21, respectively. Whenreceiving light phototransistors 15 and 17 conduct and provide zerolevel position signals at outputs 55 and 57 respectively; however, whenthe cork printing on the tube passes between a light source and theassociated phototransistor the transistor ceases to conduce and providesa one level position signal at the output substantially as shown in FIG.4.

Since phototransistor 15 is displaced an even multiple of cigarettespill lengths minus one half of the width of the cork printing fromblade 27, the blade if properly registered should start cutting thecenter of the cork printing at the instant phototransistor 15 switchesto the one level, namely instants C and E. Thus, it can be seen fromFIG. 4 that knife cut B is occurring prior to the center of the corkprinting designated by line C, indicating the knife speed is excessive.Knife cut F occurs after the center of the cork printing designated byline E indicating a lagging knife.

Phototransistor 17 is displaced a distance X/2 further from knife blade27, therefore, it is an even multiple number of cigarette spill lengthsfrom the knife blade and its output 57 provides a one level signalduring the period that the cork printing is passing knife blade 27.

Outputs 55 and 57 are connected to a pair of sensor converters 67 and69, respectively. The sensor converters are highly sensitivetransition-responsive pulsestretching circuits responsive tosignalshaving a duration of 0.1 milliseconds to produce a one-shot outputadjustable from 10 to 250 milliseconds. Sensor converters 67 and 69 haveoutputs 71 and 73, respectively, which provides inverted signals havinga pulse widths adjusted to equal two times the width of the pulse fromphototransistor 9 at any given machine speed. Since the signal fromoutput 53 produced by phototransistor 9 has a pulse width correspondingto one half the width of the band or cork printing and the outputs ofsensor converters 67 and 69 are adjusted to have a pulse width twice aswide as output 53, then the sensor converter outputs 71 and 73 havepulse widths corresponding to the width of the cork printing.

Outputs 71 and 73 are connected respectively to inverters 75 and 77having outputs 79 and 81 providing signals similar to the signals fromoutputs 71 and 73 except inverted. Outputs 79 and 81 are connectedrespectively to inverters 83 and 85 having outputs 87 and 89.

Outputs 61 and 89 are connected to inputs of a NAND gate 91 which has anoutput 93 providing a one level signal except when all of its inputs areat a one level. Output 93 is connected to reset inputs of a pair ofFlip-Flops 95 and 97 which are responsive to a one to zero leveltransition of output 93 for resetting the Flip- Flops at time instants,D, G, and H as indicated in FIG. 4. Thus, Flip-Flops 95 and 97 arealways reset after the cork printing on the cigarette tube passes thecutting knife. Flip-Flops 95 and 97 have I outputs 99 and 101 that areat a zero level and 0 outputs 103 and 105 are at a one level when theFlip-Flops are reset.

A NAND gate 107 has inputs connected to outputs 61, 87, 81 and 105, andis responsive to the signals therefrom to provide a zero level signal atan output 109 when all inputs are at a one level. Output 109 of NANDgate 107 is connected to a set input of Flip-Flop The .inputs to NANDgate 107 are all at a one level only when the knife cut is ahead of thecenter of the cork printing as shown during the time period between timeinstant B and C. A one level at output 61 indicates that the knife cutis being made while a one level on signal 87 indicates that the centerof the cork printing is not yet adjacent the knife blade. A one level atoutput 81 indicates that the knife is cutting a printed band and not theunprinted portion of the tube. A one level at output 105 indicates thatFlip-Flop 97 has been reset. Thus, output 109 is only at a zero levelwhen the knife cut occurs before the center of the cork printing isadjacent the knife, the Flip-Flops are in a reset state and the knife iscutting a printed band on the tube. The one to zero level transition ofoutput 109 is sensed by Flip- Flop 95 at time instant B causingFlip-Flop 95 to switch to a set state so that output 99 provides a onelevel signal and output 103 a zero level signal. The zero level signalfrom output 103 inhibits NAND gate 111 until the Flip-Flops are reset byoutput 93. Thus, Flip-Flop is switched to a set state when the knife isrunning at an excessive rate of speed.

At time instant E, the center of the cork printing is adjacent the knifebefore the knife cut occurs at instant F and in this condition all theinputs to NAND gate 1 1 1 are at a one level causing the output 113 tochange from a one to a zero level. At instant E, output 65 is at a onelevel indicating that a knife cut is not being made, output 79 is at aone level indicating that the center of the cork printing has arrived atthe knife blade, output 81 is at a one level indicating that a printedband is being cut, and output 103 is at one level indicating that theFlip-Flops have been reset. Thus, when the center of the cork printingprecedes the knife cut, the NAND gate output 113 switches from a one toa zero level. The set input of Flip-Flop 97 is responsive to thistransition to set the Flip-Flop so that output 101 goes to a one leveland output goes to a zero level.

It may be noted that the output 109 and 113 of NAND gates 107 and 111remain at a zero level only for a duration of time corresponding to thedisplacement of the knife cut from the center of the printed band whichmay be a very short duration. However, Flip-Flops 95 and 97 are set bythe respective transitions from the one to zero level of the NAND gatesand remain in a set state until a reset signal is received from output93 of NAND gate 91.

When the knife speed is excessive Flip-Flop 95 is in the set stateproviding a one level at output 99 and Flip- Flop 97 provides a zerolevel at output 101. Output 99 is connected to the input of a D.C.driver 115 that. has an output 117. The driver in response to a onelevel signal from output 99 conducts and supplies a D.C. signal to thehigh speed pilot light 51 which in response to the signal indicates thatthe knife blade is operating at an excessive speed. When the knife speedis too slow Flip-Flop 97 is changed to the set state and output 101 isat a one level. Output 101 is connected to a D.C. driver 121 having anoutput 123 connected to the low speed pilot light 49. D.C. driver 121 inresponse to a one level signal from output 101 provides a D.C. signal topilot light 49 which in response thereto indicates that the knife speedis too slow.

Output 103 of Flip-Flop 95 is connected to a set input of a Flip-Flop127 and output 105 of Flip-Flop 97 is connected to a reset input ofFlip-Flop 127. Both the set and reset inputs of Flip-Flop 127 areresponsive to a one to zero transition of the input signal to either setor reset the Flip-Flop. Thus, when Flip-Flop 95 is in the set stateindicating that the knife speed is excessive Flip-Flop 127 in responseto the transitioning of output 103 from a one level to a zero levelswitches to a set state providing a one level signal at a 1 output 129and a zero level signal at a output 131. Flip-Flop 127 remains in theset state until a one to zero transition is received at the reset inputfrom output 105 of Flip-Flop 97. As previously mentioned, Flip-Flop 97is in the set state only when the knife speed is too slow. Thus,Flip-Flop 127 is either in the set state indicating excessive knifespeed or in the reset state indicating the knife speed is too slow.

Outputs 129 and 131 of Flip-Flop 127 are connected to D.C. drivers 1 33and 135, respectively. The D.C. drivers are responsive to one levelsignals to provide D.C. signals on outputs 137 and 139. Output 137 isconnected to an input of a high speed potentiometer 141 having anadjustable wiper arm 143 connected to the input of the potentiometer forshorting out a selected portion of the potentiometer resistance.Likewise, output 139 is connected to an input of a low speedpotentiometer 145 having a wiper arm 147 connected to the input of thepotentiometer for shorting out a portion of its resistance. Wiper arms143 and 147 are controlled by knobs 47 and 45 respectively for varyingthe levels of the D.C. signals provided by the drivers 133 and 135.'Bothpotentiometers 141 and 145 are connected to a common input of a solidstate D.C. motor controller 149. The solid state D.C. motor controller149 is an SCR, /4 horsepower, D.C. motor control similar to Dodge No.S25, manufactured by Dodge Manufacturing Corporation in Mishawaka,Indiana. The motor controller receives a D.C. signal from eitherpotentiometer 141 or 145 and provides an excitation to D.C. motor 35 tovary the speed of the D.C. motor in accordance with the level of theD.C. signal applied thereto. Potentiometer 141 is adjusted to provide ahigher level D.C. signal than potentiometer 145 so that the D.C. motoraccelerates to a high speed corresponding to the D.C. signal supplied bypotentiometer 141 and decelerates to a base speed corresponding to theD.C. signal supplied by potentiometer 145.

Thus, the D.C. motor 35 has two speed settings and it is switched fromone setting to the other depending on whether the logic and controlcircuit senses the knife cut before or after the center of the corkprinting. When the control is holding register the motor is switchedfrequently so that at a machine speed of 1,250 spills per minute, it mayswitch between speed settings 10.4 times per second. At this switchingrate the motor never accelerates to its high speed setting nor does itdecelerate to its low speed setting but seeks an average motor speedrequired to hold registration.

Since the D.C. motor speed is oscillating or hunting it is necessary tocontrol the rate of acceleration of the motor. Both theacceleration anddeceleration may be controlled, but it was found unnecessary to controlthe deceleration rate; therefore, only the acceleration rate of themotor is controlled. The D.C. motor controller 149 has terminalsprovided thereon for connecting a potentiometer to adjust and limit thetorque produced by the motor, thereby limiting the acceleration rate forany given load. A 10 turn potentiometer 151 having a wiper arm 153 isconnected to the terminals provided on the D.C. motor controller forproviding a fine degree of adjustment of the torque produced by the D.C.motor.

In operation, the torque adjustment is critical and should be initiallyestablished by the use of a dual trace triggered oscilliscope viewingsignals 61 and 79 simultaneously with the high speed potentiometer 141set to maximum output and the base speed potentiometer 145 set tomaximum output. Potentiometer 151 is adjusted until a minimum variation.is achieved between the leading edges of signals 61 and 79 throughoutthe registering of a roll of preprinted cigarette paper. Once' thetorque adjustment has been determined it need not be reset unless somecharacteristic of the motor controller, the load or the D.C. motorchanges.

The control system as described has the capability of maintainingregistration within plus or minus 3 millimeters when using preprintedcigarette paper in a cigarette spill maker producing 84 millimeternominal length spills at'a rate of 1,250 per minute. lf'a closertolerance than plus or minus 3 millimeters is desired then the machineoperator by observing the flashing rate of the high and low base speedpilot lights can set the base and highspeed potentiometers to valuesthat produce near equal flashing rates.

During normal operation the operator observes the flashing pilot lightsand if one of the light is on longer than the other the need for apotentiometer adjustment isindicated. If the base speed pilot light 49is flashing for a longer duration than the high speed pilot light 51,then the setting of the base speed potentiometer should be reduced untilthe flash duration of each light is approximately equal.

Thus, the present invention provides for the registration of a cuttingknife with the center of the cork printing of a cigarette tube in acigarette tube manufacturing machine The registration is accomplishedautomatically and compensates for variations in the intervals betweenthe cork printing of the cigarette paper due to varying tensions on thepaper and other atmospheric conditions such as temperature and humidity.The registration control assures that the knife cut is within a certaintolerance of the center of the cork printing on the cigarette paper. Theregistration is accomplished automatically with only minor initialadjustments required by an operator.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for cutting continuous material into predeterminedlengths, each length having a marking of predetermined width at one endthereof, the continuous material having markings, having widths equal totwice the predetermined width and said markings repeating at intervalsequal to twice the predetermined length, comprising:

knife means for cutting the continuous material midway the markings andmidway the unmarked portions;

first sensing means for sensing when the knife is cutting the materialand for providing a cut signal corresponding thereto;

second sensing means for sensing when the center of the marking isadjacent the knife and for providing a position signal correspondingthereto;

third sensing means for sensing when the marking is adjacent the knifeand for providing a signal corresponding thereto;

logic means responsive to the cut and position signals for providing afirst output when the cut signal occurs prior to the position signal anda second output when the cut signal occurs after the position signal,the logic means also being responsive to the signal from the thirdsensing means for rendering the logic means non-responsive to the cut.and position signals when the third sensing means is not sensing amarking; and

control means responsive to the first and second outputs from the logicmeans for adjusting the knife means so that the cut is maintained inregistration with the center of the marking on the continuous materialand the knife means is adjusted only when a marking is being cut.

2. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 1,

wherein the control means includes:

driver means responsive to the first and second outputs for providinghigh'and base speed signals;

a motor controller connected to the driver means for receiving the highand base speed signals therefrom and for providing in response thereto amotor excitation voltage corresponding to the received signals;

a motor connected to the motor controller for receiving the excitationvoltage therefrom, said motor accelerates or decelerates to a speedcorresponding to the excitation voltage; and

means for connecting said motor to the knife means for varying the speedof the knife means.

3. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the motorcontroller additionally comprises an electronic torque adjustment meansfor varying the torque output of the motor and thereby controlling theacceleration thereof.

4. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 2, additionally comprisingmeans for adjusting the level of the high and base speed signals fromthe driver means.

5. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 1, additionally comprising:

high speed indicating means connected to the first output of the logicmeans and responsive thereto for providing an indication that the knifemeans is cutting prior to the specified position; and

base speed indicating means connected to the second output of the logicmeans and responsive thereto for providing an indication that the knifemeans is cutting after the specified position.

6. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 1,

wherein the knife means comprises:

a knife blade rotatably mounted adjacent the materimeans for conveyingthe material past the knife blade; and

drive means for rotating the knife blade and driving the conveyingmeans.

7. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 1,

wherein the material is cigarette tubing.

8. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the material iscigarette tubing having bands of simulated cork printed thereon atintervals of twice the nominal length of a cigarette, the printed bandshaving widths twice that required for a filter tip.

9. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 8, wherein the knife meanscuts the tubing midway the printed bands and midway the unprintedportions and the second sensing means senses when the center of aprinted band is adjacent the knife means and provides the positionsignal corresponding thereto.

10. An apparatus for cutting material having markings at predeterminedintervals, comprising:

knife means for cutting the material at a specified position relative tothe markings;

first sensing means for sensing when the knife means is cutting thematerial and for providing a cut signal corresponding thereto;

second sensing means for detecting the markings and sensing when thespecified position is adjacent the knife means and for providing aposition signal corresponding thereto;

first means connected tothe first and second sensing means andresponsive to the signals therefrom for providing an output when the cutsignal occurs prior to the position signal;

second means connected to the first and second sensing means andresponsive to the signal therefrom for providing an output when theposition signal occurs prior to the cut signal;

first and second Flip-Flops connected to the first and second means,respectively, and responsive to the outputs therefrom for switchingstates and providing output signal corresponding thereto;

a third Flip-Flop having a first input connected to the output signal ofthe first Flip-Flop and a second input connected to the output signal ofthe second Flip-Flop, the first input being responsive to the outputsignalfrom the first Flip-Flop for switching the state of the thirdFlip-Flop and the second input being responsive to the output signalfrom the second Flip-Flop for switching the state of the thirdFlip-Flop, the third Flip-Flop providing first and second outputscorrespondingto the time relationship between the cut and positionsignals; and

control means responsive to the first and second outputs for varying thespeed of the knife means so that the cut is maintained in registrationwith the specified position.

11. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 10, wherein the materialis cigarette tubing having bands of simulated cork printed at intervalsequal to twice the nominal length of a cigarette, the bands havingwidths of twice that required for a filter tip, the knife means cuts thecigarette tubing midway the unprinted portions and the second sensingmeans senses when the center of a printed band is adjacent the knifemeans and provides the position signal corresponding thereto, theapparatus additionally comprising;

third sensing means for sensing when the printed band is adjacent theknife means and for providing a signal corresponding thereto; and

third gate means connected to the first sensing means and the thirdsensing means and responsive to the signals therefrom for providing anoutput when the knife means is cutting the unprinted portion, the

output being connected to both the first and second FlipoFlops which areresponsive thereto for switching the state of the Flip-Flops.

12. In combination with a cigarette spill cutting machine of the typewherein a tube of cigarette paper, having bands of simulated cork twiceas wide as a cigarette filter printed thereon and spaced at intervalstwice the length of a cigarette, is advanced by a paper drive drumtowards a rotating cutting knife for cutting the tube midway the printedbands and midway the unprinted portions, the knife and drive drum beingdriven by a main drive shaft, the improvement comprising:

first sensing means for sensing when the knife is cutting the tube andfor providing a cut signal corresponding thereto;

second sensing means for sensing when the center of the printed band isadjacent the knife and for providing a position signal correspondingthereto;

first gate means connected to the first and second sensing means andresponsive to the I signals therefrom for providing an output when a cutsignal occurs prior to the position signal;

second gate means connected to the first and second sensing means andresponsive to the signals therefrom for providing an output whentheposition signal occurs prior to the cut signal;

first and second Flip-Flops connected to the first and second gatemeans, respectively, and responsive to the outputs therefrom forswitching states and providing output signals corresponding thereto;

a third Flip-Flop having first and second inputs connected to the outputsignals of the first and second Flip-Flops respectively, the first inputbeing responsive to the output signal from the first Flip- Flop forswitching the third Flip-Flop to a first state and the second inputbeing responsive to the output signal from the second Flip-Flop to asecond state, the third Flip-Flop for'providing a high speed output whenin the first state and a base speed output when in the second state;

control means connected to the third Flip-Flop for receiving the highspeed and base speed outputs therefrom and for providing in responsethereto a motor excitation voltage corresponding to the receivedoutputs;

a motor connected to the control means and responsive to the excitationvoltage therefrom for accelerating or decelerating to a speedcorresponding to the excitation voltage; and

differential means interposed between the main drive shaft and the knifeand connected to the motor for varying the knife rotation rate so thatthe cuts are maintained in registration with the centers of the printedbands.

13. In combination with a cigarette spill cutting machine of the type,wherein a tube of cigarette paper,

having bands of simulated cork twice as wide as a cigarette filterprinted thereon and spaced at intervals twice the length of a cigarette,is advanced by a paper drive drum towards a rotating cutting knife forcutting the tube midway the printed bands and midway the unprintedportions, the knife and drive drum being driven by a main drive shaft,the improvement comprising;

first sensing means for sensing when the knife is cutting the tube andfor providing a cut signal corresponding thereto;

second sensing means for sensing when the center of the printed band isadjacent the knife and for providing a position signal correspondingthereto;

third sensing means for sensing when a printed band is adjacent thecutting knife and for providing a signal corresponding thereto;

logic means responsive to the cut and position signals for providing ahigh speed output and when the cut signal occurs prior to the positionsignal and a base speed output when the signal cut occurs after theposition signal the logic means also being responsive to the signal fromthe third sensing means for rendering the logic means non-responsive tothe cut signal when the third sensing means is not sensing a printedband;

control means connected to the logic means for receiving the outputstherefrom and for providing in response thereto a motor excitationvoltage corresponding to the received outputs;

a motor connected to the control means and responsive to the excitationvoltage therefrom for accelerating or decelerating to a speedcorresponding to the excitation voltage; and

differential means interposed between the main drive shaft and the knifeand connected to themotor for varying the knife rotation rate so thatthe cuts are maintained in registration with thecenters of the printedbands.

l4. A'cigarette spill cutting machine as described in claim 13, whereinthe logic means additionally comprises a third gate means connected tothe first sensing means and the third sensing and responsive to thesignals therefrom, for providing an output when the knife is cutting theunprinted portion, the output being connected to both the first andsecond Flip-Flops which are responsive thereto for switching into areset state.

15. A registration control, for maintaining registration between the cutof a rotating knife and a specified position relative to a patternprinted at intervals on material being cut by the knife, comprising:

first means for providing a cut signal having a first level when theknife is not cutting the material and a second level when the knife iscutting the material;

second means for providing a position signal having a first level whenthe specified position is not adjacent the knife and a second level whenthe specified position is adjacent the knife;

a first inverter connected to the first means for inverting the firstand second levels of the cut signal;

a second inverted connected to the second means for inverting the firstand second levels of the position signal;

first gate means connected to the first means and the second inverterand responsive to simultaneous second level signals therefrom forproviding an output;

second gate means connected to the firs inverter and I the second meansand responsive to simultaneous second level signals therefrom forproviding an output;

a first Flip-Flop, having a first input connected to the output of thefirst gate means and having a first output connected to an input of thesecond gate means, the first Flip-Flop being responsive to the output ofthe first gate means for providing a first level signal on the firstoutput, thereby inhibiting the second gate means from providing anoutput;

a second Flip-Flop having a first input connected to the output of thesecond gate means and having a first output connected to an input of thefirst gate means, the second Flip-Flop being responsive to the output ofthe second gate means for providing a first level signal on the firstoutput, thereby inhibiting the first gate means from providing an out- Pa third Flip-Flop, having first and second inputs connected to the firstoutputs of the first and second Flip-Flops respectively, the first inputbeing responsive to a first level signal for switching the thirdFlip-Flop to a first state and the second input being responsive to afirst level signal for switching the Flip-Flop to a second state, thethird Flip-Flop having a first output providing a first level signalwhen in a second state and a second level signal when in the first stateand a first level signal when in the second state;

means connected to the first output of the third Flip- Flop forproviding a high speed signal when the first output provides a secondlevel signal;

means connected to the second output for providing a base speed signalwhen the second output provides a second level signal; and

control means responsive to the high speed and base speed outputs fordecreasing and increasing respectively the speed of the rotating knifeso that the cut is maintained in registration with the specifiedposition.

16. A registration control as described in claim 15, wherein the meansfor providing a high speed signal and the means for providing a basespeed signal additionally comprise means for varying the level of thehigh speed and base speed signals respectively.

1. An apparatus for cutting continuous material into predetermined lengths, each length having a marking of predetermined width at one end thereof, the continuous material having markings, having widths equal to twice the predetermined width and said markings repeating at intervals equal to twice the predetermined length, comprising: knife means for cutting the continuous material midway the markings and midway the unmarked portions; first sensing means for sensing when the knife is cutting the material and for providing a cut signal corresponding thereto; second sensing means for sensing when the center of the marking is adjacent the knife and for providing a position signal corresponding thereto; third sensing means for sensing when the marking is adjacent the knife and for providing a signal corresponding thereto; logic means responsive to the cut and position signals for providing a first output when the cut signal occurs prior to the position signal and a second output when the cut signal occurs after the position signal, the logic means also being responsive to the signal from the third sensing means for rendering the logic means non-responsive to the cut and position signals when the third sensing means is not sensing a marking; and control means responsive to the first and second outputs from the logic means for adjusting the knife means so that the cut is maintained in registration with the center of the marking on the continuous material and the knife means is adjusted only when a marking is being cut.
 2. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the control means includes: driver means responsive to the first and second outputs for providing high and base speed signals; a motor controller connected to the driver means for receiving the high and base speed signals therefrom and for providing in response thereto a motor excitation voltage corresponding to the received signals; a motor connected to the motor controller for receiving the excitation voltage therefrom, said motor accelerates or decelerates to a speed corresponding to the excitation voltage; and means for connecting said motor to the knife means for varying the speed of the knife means.
 3. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the motor controller additionally comprises an electronic torque adjustment means for varying the torque output of the motor and thereby controlling the acceleration thereof.
 4. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 2, additionally comprising means for adjusting the level of the high and base speed signals from the driver means.
 5. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 1, additionally comprising: high speed indicating means connected to the first output of the logic means and responsive thereto for providing an indication that the knife means is cutting prior to the specified position; and base speed indicating means connected to the second output of the logIc means and responsive thereto for providing an indication that the knife means is cutting after the specified position.
 6. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the knife means comprises: a knife blade rotatably mounted adjacent the material; means for conveying the material past the knife blade; and drive means for rotating the knife blade and driving the conveying means.
 7. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the material is cigarette tubing.
 8. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the material is cigarette tubing having bands of simulated cork printed thereon at intervals of twice the nominal length of a cigarette, the printed bands having widths twice that required for a filter tip.
 9. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 8, wherein the knife means cuts the tubing midway the printed bands and midway the unprinted portions and the second sensing means senses when the center of a printed band is adjacent the knife means and provides the position signal corresponding thereto.
 10. An apparatus for cutting material having markings at predetermined intervals, comprising: knife means for cutting the material at a specified position relative to the markings; first sensing means for sensing when the knife means is cutting the material and for providing a cut signal corresponding thereto; second sensing means for detecting the markings and sensing when the specified position is adjacent the knife means and for providing a position signal corresponding thereto; first means connected to the first and second sensing means and responsive to the signals therefrom for providing an output when the cut signal occurs prior to the position signal; second means connected to the first and second sensing means and responsive to the signal therefrom for providing an output when the position signal occurs prior to the cut signal; first and second Flip-Flops connected to the first and second means, respectively, and responsive to the outputs therefrom for switching states and providing output signal corresponding thereto; a third Flip-Flop having a first input connected to the output signal of the first Flip-Flop and a second input connected to the output signal of the second Flip-Flop, the first input being responsive to the output signal from the first Flip-Flop for switching the state of the third Flip-Flop and the second input being responsive to the output signal from the second Flip-Flop for switching the state of the third Flip-Flop, the third Flip-Flop providing first and second outputs corresponding to the time relationship between the cut and position signals; and control means responsive to the first and second outputs for varying the speed of the knife means so that the cut is maintained in registration with the specified position.
 11. A cutting apparatus as described in claim 10, wherein the material is cigarette tubing having bands of simulated cork printed at intervals equal to twice the nominal length of a cigarette, the bands having widths of twice that required for a filter tip, the knife means cuts the cigarette tubing midway the unprinted portions and the second sensing means senses when the center of a printed band is adjacent the knife means and provides the position signal corresponding thereto, the apparatus additionally comprising; third sensing means for sensing when the printed band is adjacent the knife means and for providing a signal corresponding thereto; and third gate means connected to the first sensing means and the third sensing means and responsive to the signals therefrom for providing an output when the knife means is cutting the unprinted portion, the output being connected to both the first and second Flip-Flops which are responsive thereto for switching the state of the Flip-Flops.
 12. In combination with a cigarette spill cutting machine of the type wherein a tube of cigarette Paper, having bands of simulated cork twice as wide as a cigarette filter printed thereon and spaced at intervals twice the length of a cigarette, is advanced by a paper drive drum towards a rotating cutting knife for cutting the tube midway the printed bands and midway the unprinted portions, the knife and drive drum being driven by a main drive shaft, the improvement comprising: first sensing means for sensing when the knife is cutting the tube and for providing a cut signal corresponding thereto; second sensing means for sensing when the center of the printed band is adjacent the knife and for providing a position signal corresponding thereto; first gate means connected to the first and second sensing means and responsive to the signals therefrom for providing an output when a cut signal occurs prior to the position signal; second gate means connected to the first and second sensing means and responsive to the signals therefrom for providing an output when the position signal occurs prior to the cut signal; first and second Flip-Flops connected to the first and second gate means, respectively, and responsive to the outputs therefrom for switching states and providing output signals corresponding thereto; a third Flip-Flop having first and second inputs connected to the output signals of the first and second Flip-Flops respectively, the first input being responsive to the output signal from the first Flip-Flop for switching the third Flip-Flop to a first state and the second input being responsive to the output signal from the second Flip-Flop to a second state, the third Flip-Flop for providing a high speed output when in the first state and a base speed output when in the second state; control means connected to the third Flip-Flop for receiving the high speed and base speed outputs therefrom and for providing in response thereto a motor excitation voltage corresponding to the received outputs; a motor connected to the control means and responsive to the excitation voltage therefrom for accelerating or decelerating to a speed corresponding to the excitation voltage; and differential means interposed between the main drive shaft and the knife and connected to the motor for varying the knife rotation rate so that the cuts are maintained in registration with the centers of the printed bands.
 13. In combination with a cigarette spill cutting machine of the type, wherein a tube of cigarette paper, having bands of simulated cork twice as wide as a cigarette filter printed thereon and spaced at intervals twice the length of a cigarette, is advanced by a paper drive drum towards a rotating cutting knife for cutting the tube midway the printed bands and midway the unprinted portions, the knife and drive drum being driven by a main drive shaft, the improvement comprising; first sensing means for sensing when the knife is cutting the tube and for providing a cut signal corresponding thereto; second sensing means for sensing when the center of the printed band is adjacent the knife and for providing a position signal corresponding thereto; third sensing means for sensing when a printed band is adjacent the cutting knife and for providing a signal corresponding thereto; logic means responsive to the cut and position signals for providing a high speed output and when the cut signal occurs prior to the position signal and a base speed output when the signal cut occurs after the position signal the logic means also being responsive to the signal from the third sensing means for rendering the logic means non-responsive to the cut signal when the third sensing means is not sensing a printed band; control means connected to the logic means for receiving the outputs therefrom and for providing in response thereto a motor excitation voltage corresponding to the received outputs; a motor connected to the control means and responsive to the excitation voltage therefrom for accelerating or decelerating to a speed corresponding to the excitation voltage; and differential means interposed between the main drive shaft and the knife and connected to the motor for varying the knife rotation rate so that the cuts are maintained in registration with the centers of the printed bands.
 14. A cigarette spill cutting machine as described in claim 13, wherein the logic means additionally comprises a third gate means connected to the first sensing means and the third sensing and responsive to the signals therefrom, for providing an output when the knife is cutting the unprinted portion, the output being connected to both the first and second Flip-Flops which are responsive thereto for switching into a reset state.
 15. A registration control, for maintaining registration between the cut of a rotating knife and a specified position relative to a pattern printed at intervals on material being cut by the knife, comprising: first means for providing a cut signal having a first level when the knife is not cutting the material and a second level when the knife is cutting the material; second means for providing a position signal having a first level when the specified position is not adjacent the knife and a second level when the specified position is adjacent the knife; a first inverter connected to the first means for inverting the first and second levels of the cut signal; a second inverted connected to the second means for inverting the first and second levels of the position signal; first gate means connected to the first means and the second inverter and responsive to simultaneous second level signals therefrom for providing an output; second gate means connected to the firs inverter and the second means and responsive to simultaneous second level signals therefrom for providing an output; a first Flip-Flop, having a first input connected to the output of the first gate means and having a first output connected to an input of the second gate means, the first Flip-Flop being responsive to the output of the first gate means for providing a first level signal on the first output, thereby inhibiting the second gate means from providing an output; a second Flip-Flop having a first input connected to the output of the second gate means and having a first output connected to an input of the first gate means, the second Flip-Flop being responsive to the output of the second gate means for providing a first level signal on the first output, thereby inhibiting the first gate means from providing an output; a third Flip-Flop, having first and second inputs connected to the first outputs of the first and second Flip-Flops respectively, the first input being responsive to a first level signal for switching the third Flip-Flop to a first state and the second input being responsive to a first level signal for switching the Flip-Flop to a second state, the third Flip-Flop having a first output providing a first level signal when in a second state and a second level signal when in the first state and a first level signal when in the second state; means connected to the first output of the third Flip-Flop for providing a high speed signal when the first output provides a second level signal; means connected to the second output for providing a base speed signal when the second output provides a second level signal; and control means responsive to the high speed and base speed outputs for decreasing and increasing respectively the speed of the rotating knife so that the cut is maintained in registration with the specified position.
 16. A registration control as described in claim 15, wherein the means for providing a high speed signal and the means for providing a base speed signal additionally comprise means for varying the level of the high speed and base speed signals respectively. 